YPO launches nationwide public sector apprenticeship framework portal

Wednesday, 07 November, 2018

YPO, one of the UK’s leading public sector procurement organisations, has launched an online portal for its apprenticeship framework that will allow the UK public sector, including the emergency services sector, to access apprenticeship training from a range of local and national suppliers.

The framework - the first and only one of its kind in the UK - has been developed by YPO to help public sector organisations make the most of apprenticeship levy funds, which will begin to decrease after January 2019 for organisations that have not utilised funds since the levy came into effect.

Available on the YPO website, the online portal allows customers to access its framework and find apprenticeship providers by filtering via sub-criteria, including cohort numbers, region, facilities and delivery model.

Already, YPO has reported key successes for the framework with police services across the country. Police forces across the country are already out to further competition, with training such as the police constable degree apprenticeship supporting the delivery of frontline police officers.

Over the past three months, YPO has built relationships with more than 117 apprenticeship providers to create a national database of compliant providers across a wide range of sectors. This provider list will continue to grow each quarter dependent on market needs.

In just five months, the number of standards on YPO’s apprenticeship framework has risen from 257 to 359 and there are currently a further 215 in development. The resulting YPO Apprenticeship Framework is intended to reduce administration costs and enable apprenticeship levy created funds to be spent more effectively. Every quarter, the framework will also be updated as new apprenticeship standards come into effect, ensuring new providers can bid with ease for live and new standards.

Lizzy Grayson, Category Manager for Corporate Services at YPO, said, “The Apprenticeship Levy has been in effect for well over a year now and continues to be a contentious piece of legislation for the public sector as the government looks to meet its target of 3 million apprenticeship starts by 2020. All public sector organisations must purchase their goods and services via compliant procurement regulations and apprenticeship schemes in the emergency services sector are no different.

“Following the launch of the YPO Apprenticeship Framework Portal, public sector organisations will have easier access to a range of compliant providers. Using a framework like YPO’s ensures a high standard of apprenticeship provider with a simple route of procurement.”